Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-04-12
sHOP.GInLs OF PARIS.
Kiss Leigh's Past Work and Hopes
For the Future.
Philadelphia Pressl

Miss Ada Leigh, who for the last
eighteen years mas been mother and
sister to the homeless and friendless
English and American girls in Paris,
spoke at the Church OF the Saviour,
Thirty eighth street above Chestnut, last
night of her past work and OF her plans
for the future.
Miss Leigh is kindly faced English
woman, with a soft, low voice capable
OF giving great dramatic fierce TO the
simple, straightforward story she has
come to this country to tell.
When the Rev. Robert G. Matlack
had introduced her she seated herself
in q chair on the platform, folded her
hands, and, showing full confidence IN
her powers of interesting her hearers.
begun the story in quiet, converse
fionnl tone.
1.-The first thing ] did when went
TO Paris" said Miss Leigh, ''was to do
what everyone else does-b buy pair OF
gloves. The girl who sold me the
gloves spoke English, and asked her
II she could direct me to an English
church. She said that she did not
know of any such church, and that she
bad not been to one for four months.
1 asked her to come TO my rooms on the
following Sunday and bring some OF
her English-speaking friends with her:
In this way / gathered about me a small
circle Of friendless girls who had no
other place TO 90 to that was not place
where they could learn nothing good.
fused 10 send them little notes signed
.One who Cares for You, and i think
that signature was mere effective IN
bringing them to me than any other
part Of the letter.
"Onc day ] overheard a girl IN the
street say to her companion; why
should live any longer? Noone cares.
/ touched her on the shoulder and said
i care That girl afterwards became
very dear to me, and when left Paris
she gave me franc wrapped in a piece
of paper, on which was written: TO
found a homo for friendless girls in
Paris That franc, saved from the
girls scanty store, was the nucleus OF
the fund which founded our Mission
Home. We started with twelve beds,
and in q short while increased it TO
thirty-six. Then the French authori-
Ties interfered. We were doing what
was illegal in two ways. We did not
own the Mission, but rented it, and we
were only allowed to have twenty-four
beds. We started up again in home
of our own, where our accommodations
were very limited.
Zone day four girls, Americans,
asked me for shelter. / had only one
bed left and the three went away dis.
appointed. l gave them each card
with the address OF the Home written
upon il and the hours when we held
service there. II was all i could do.
In three days one OF the cards was
brought TO me by gendarme. 1t was
stained and discolored by the waters of
the Seine, and / learned that the girl
had sought resting-plsce in the river
which tempts 80 many. / had never
begged before that, but saw that my
duty called me TO work for larger
house. ] pledged myself to raise $780,
600 for that purpose, and my name was
accepted as sufficient guarantee that II
would be forthcoming. Two months
before the time for the payment fell due
i had s65, 900.
Zone day little girl who served as
an artists model tainted, while she was
posing, from exhaustion and hunger.
The artist was an American, and he
sought me out and put the case in nay
hands ] learned then that these children
we're sold for from $50 to 800 10 artists
as models. ! went 10 The chief Of the
French police and asked him 10 have
the girl arrested and taken from the
Italian padyone who hired her out and
put 10 my care. And Tor what reason,